Tesla Promised Pothole Avoidance Six Months Ago. Until It Ships, Plan for the Hit
By EV Bandit | Updated October 8, 2026
Tesla's software still cannot be counted on to steer around the pothole in front of you. Pothole avoidance was first listed as an "Upcoming Improvement" for FSD v14.3 in early April, according to Teslarati. The newest release, FSD v14.3.11 in update 2026.33.5, still lists it as planned, per Not a Tesla App.
This piece is not about whether to trust any driver-assist feature. It is about the wheels, tires and sensors that take the hit while you wait.
The timeline
Early April 2026. Pothole avoidance appears as an upcoming improvement alongside FSD v14.3 (Teslarati).
October 1. Phil Duan, Director of Engineering at Tesla AI, posts on X about pothole avoidance and navigation: "Improvements on both are coming." (as reported by Teslarati, October 2).
October 6. Teslarati's Joey Klender lists five things he still intervenes on in FSD, including that it struggles to anticipate large bumps and sudden grade changes and handles potholes and manhole covers inconsistently. That is one driver's account, not a test.
October 7. Update 2026.33.5 brings FSD v14.3.11. Not a Tesla App notes that its FSD section covers HW4 cars only and again lists pothole avoidance as an upcoming improvement.
Six months from "upcoming" to still "upcoming." Nobody has said when it lands.
What it means for owners
Whatever software ends up doing, a pothole is a physical event: a tire, a wheel and a sensor take a sharp load. Tesla is not alone in that, and every car on every road faces it. The practical question is what is cheap to carry or fit now. Three stocked items fit that question, and one of them does not do what you might assume, so read on.
1. A bumper for your rims: wheel bands
The listing calls this a "5 MPH bumper for your rims" that doubles as a color pinstripe, with a kit covering four wheels from 13 to 22 inches. Be clear about the job: it guards the wheel's edge against low-speed scuffs like curbs. It will not stop a hard pothole strike from bending a wheel. The listing says first-time installers can finish four wheels in 40 to 60 minutes.
2. The roadside stopgap: a tire plug kit
A plug kit is for a tread puncture you can reach, not for a torn sidewall or a bent wheel, and it is a way to reach a shop rather than a permanent repair. Check your tire's condition after any hard hit and have a professional look at it. It is a generic kit, sold under a Tesla listing; it works the way any plug kit works.
3. The warning light: replacement TPMS sensors
The listing describes pre-programmed 433 MHz sensors with a 5 to 6 year battery life and a two-year warranty. A TPMS warning after a hard hit does not mean the sensor is the problem; a tire or wheel may be. Get the wheel looked at first, and replace a sensor only when it is the failed part.
The short version
Keep your tires at the pressure on your door-jamb placard, watch for the road ahead rather than the screen, and treat any pothole software as a bonus when it arrives. Our earlier piece on what actually protects your rims goes deeper on curb rash.
What was your worst pothole story? Tell 170,000 owners in the Tesla Model Y Owners Facebook group.